Ghostwriters are one of the most sought-after freelancers in the current market today because businesses are heavily relying on content marketing to boost their online presence and increase sales. As a result of this, there are numerous ghostwriters available on all the hiring platforms and like any hiring procedure, managers have to sift through a number of online applications before they can find the perfect one for their fit. In this article, we’ll go over 5 red flags you should keep your eyes open for when you’re hiring a ghostwriter, let’s get started!
1. They don’t have a niche
One of the first things you can figure out when you look at someone’s online resume or portfolio is whether they have a specific niche or if they’re open to working in any field. This is a red flag because it shows that the person may not have a field that they excel in and know everything about, but they’re relying on their ability to do a quick research and figure out what they need to write about based on what they read on Google.
If you’re looking for someone who can churn out large pieces of content each week, then hiring a writer like this could be worth a shot. However, if you want someone who has good subject knowledge in your niche, it’s best to narrow down your search to people who are very niche-specific in their applications. This way, there’s a higher chance that you’ll end up hiring one of the best selling ghostwriters out there because you’ll know for sure that they aren’t doing it just for the money.
2. They don’t have work samples
The next thing you’ll want to check out is their work samples, to figure out what kind of content they write, their writing style, and how well they’re able to write complex ideas in simple and understandable ways. If they don’t have samples and don’t offer any even after you request them to, then it’s a sign that you should probably look elsewhere because any experienced and well-seasoned writer will be able to show you samples of published work online.
3. No editing experience
You will have to check if the writer has good editing experience and knows about the best tools and software used to proofread and edit content. Very often, writers assume that companies will have other editors who can proofread their work for them. If this isn’t the case for your company, it’s best to invest in someone who is not only a good writer but an exceptional editor as well, because that will save you the trouble of having to hire other editors later on.
4. They seem to over-promise
If you ask them how soon they can deliver a blog piece of 4000 words and they say however soon you want it, there’s a high chance that you’re not going to get quality content from the particular ghostwriter because their focus is on giving you quantity and not quality. A great writer will not only be honest about the time taken to write a killer article that’s entertaining and well-researched but will also tell you that your expectations are too high if you give them a 6-hour deadline to deliver a large blog post. Sometimes, honesty in the smallest things can show you whether someone is going to be genuine in their work or not.
5. They don’t have any references
If they claim to be an experienced writer, then they should be able to show you at least 2 references which you can contact before you hire them. If they don’t have any references, you may want to be a little wary because there’s a high chance that their work samples may not belong to them, or may even be stolen or plagiarized.
